2008 NEW YORK COMIC CON – DAY ONE

by Teresa Jusino
OK, I’m just going to say it. Screw San Diego. You heard me. Screw San Diego and its “premiere comics and popular arts convention.” New York Comic Con might only be three years old, but it’s already attracting the likes of Stan Lee, Grant Morrison, Neil Gaiman and Frank Miller. Film and television stars are flocking as well, with Kal Penn and John Cho (Harold and Kumar Go to….well, everywhere), Grace Park (Battlestar Galactica), Seth Green (for both Robot Chicken and his Top Cow comic, Freshmen), Eva Mendes (for The Spirit), and Selma Blair (for Hellboy II). We’ve got Chris Carter (creator of The X-Files) and Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth and Hellboy II). More importantly, New York Comic Con takes place in the city that inspired, and continues to inspire, comic books! Metropolis and Gotham City ain’t based on San Diego, Peter Parker is a boy from Queens, and Mayor Mitchell Hundred presides over the most dynamic place on Earth – New York City! You really can’t beat the location when trying to soak up the sweet, comic-book-y goodness.

So, San Diego can suck it.

I SEE YOU SHIVER…WITH AN-TI-CI…………….PATION…

RULE #1 of going to cons: GET SLEEP. Sure, the thought of possibly meeting your favorite creators has you all riled up, but do you really want to meet them with bags under your eyes? RULE #2: AN ADVANCE GAME PLAN WILL ONLY HELP SO MUCH. Sure it’s helpful to loosely map out what panels you want to attend and what signings you want to get to, but things change, unexpected things strike your fancy, and events don’t always start or end when they’re supposed to. You’ll have a lot more fun if you’re willing to fly by the seat of your pants a little.

Suffice it to say I was both riled up and preparing a game plan until late last night, and when I awoke bright and early for the con today, I looked like an extra from Shaun of the Dead. Then when I looked at the NYCC website, I realized that I wouldn’t even be allowed in until the afternoon. In my excitement, I’d failed to notice that it was “professional hours only” in the morning, and that the general public would be let in at 3:00. So…back to sleep I went.

As I approached the Javits Center later that afternoon, a woman and her boyfriend walked by hand-in-hand. She was dressed as Wonder Woman. My people…, I thought.

Here, I will say that eavesdropping on conversations while waiting in line at a comic con is my new favorite pastime. Favorite snippet?

Random Dude: Yeah, Chris* is dating that girl now…what’s her name?
Other Random Dude: Lauren*, I think.
RD: Yeah, I don’t like her.
ORD: From what I hear, she’s a step up from his last girlfriend. I heard that one never smiled, and just….posed a lot.
RD: Well, I mean she’s hot and all…but she’s dumb as shit. It’s like, rock on with your bad self and whatever, but he can’t talk to her about, like, anything.

See, ladies? Smart wins. Or, at least it should.

* names have been changed to protect the geeky

THE EXHIBITIONISTS (or, Highlights from the Show Floor)

I’ll admit it. I’m a sucker for elaborate packaging. I judge books by their covers all the time, and I judge movies by how awesome their displays are. So, when I saw that I had to go into a “decontamination chamber” to watch the trailer for A&E’s The Andromeda Strain…well, hell! I went into the decontamination chamber! How could I resist the lure of people in white quarantine suits handing out little bottles of souvenir hand sanitizer and escorting me into a dark tent?! (PS – DON’T use hand sanitizer or anti-bacterial anything. You’re just creating mutant strains of germs, thus defeating the purpose of being anti-bacteria!) Gimmicks aside, the trailer for The Andromeda Strain looked pretty kick-ass. It’s a Ridley and Tony Scott affair about a disease that falls from the sky and is so contagious that it can wipe out humanity in a matter of weeks. Benjamin Bratt, Eric McCormack, Daniel Dae Kim (yeah, Lost connection!) and Andre Braugher star. Yes, you heard right. It’s on A&E. Not the SciFi Channel. A&E. Memorial Day.

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Here are some other things that stood out to me in the exhibition hall:

** Indie comic, Super Frat, published by Silent Devil, Inc. as a weekly webcomic. I was lured to the Silent Devil table by the slogan “Drink beer, get laid, fight crime.” As I enjoy all those things, I decided to peruse the comic and ended up buying a signed copy of the collection, which includes a special story not included on the web. It’s the epitome of frat boy, bathroom humor, and it’s pretty damn funny. What can I say? I like frat boy, bathroom humor! I spoke with the writer, Tony DiGerolamo, and ended up being “sworn in” as a member of the frat. When trying to come up with a frat nickname for me, he asked me what my favorite comic was and I said Y: The Last Man. So, I’m now Brother Yorick of Lambda Sigma Rho. Hot.

** A cry of “Hey! Do you like ’superhero comics’?!” came at me from across the aisle as I was leaving my new frat brother. I turned and stopped by the Monolith table. Interesting new independent comic publisher making their professional debut at NYCC! Their main title seems to be Rapid City, by Josh Dahl – a “semi-autobiographical superhero comic book based loosely on the writer’s experiences in the Kalamazoo, MI punk-rock scene.” The sample pages I saw seemed pretty cool, so I joined their mailing list. I’m also interested in Matt Bowers’ Strange Behavior – mostly because of the all-female cast, and the prominence of panda bears. Pandas are the new “scary bunnies”, it seems. Ego-boost moment? When I mentioned I write for a website called PinkRaygun.com and handed Josh a card, he immediately got all nervous, thrust a press kit into my hand, and knocked over his laptop. Aww! That’s right, comic neophytes! FEAR ME! Heh.

Actually, I spent a lot of the early part of my day checking out the smaller, indie stuff in the exhibition hall. ‘Cause Marvel and DC don’t need my help, you know? And, to me, these people are the real reason why comic cons exist. If I come across anything else that’s interesting, I’ll let you know!

** strolling down Artists’ Alley, I happened upon Billy Tan’s table, and was impressed by his stuff. He’s the artist who drew X-23: Innocence Lost, among other titles for Marvel and Top Cow. X-23 is one of those books that I’ve passed in comic book stores and been curious about, but never read. The thing that always struck me about that book was the art. The way this little girl with “Wolverine claws” looks ferocious and vulnerable at the same time. I told Mr. Tan this, and he seemed pleased. A nearby reader confirmed that “X-23 is one of the best books ever!”, so I’ll have to give them a whirl. I’ll probably be buying one of Tan’s prints tomorrow. The adorable thing? He was at his table with his wife and young son. His son was drawing a picture as his father was sketching, and he showed it off to me. “Is he practicing to join the family business?” I asked. “Yes!” Tan replied, proudly. Then he picked up his son’s drawing (what looked like a birthday party scene) and said “Isn’t that wonderful!” I told the boy how great his drawing was, and he beamed.

THE PANELS

4:00PM – Hello, hello…I’m at a place called VERTIGO!

Vertigo Sr. Editor, Karen Berger, led an enormous panel, which included Grant Morrison (Seaguy), G. Willow Wilson (Cairo), and Matt Wagner (Madame Xanadu). She discussed the current and upcoming titles we have to look forward to from the imprint, and confirmed that despite several upcoming titles using DC-owned characters, Vertigo continues to be creator-driven, first and foremost. She mentioned a slew of new titles, but since this is my column, I’m only mentioning the ones that interested me. So there:

** AIR - by G. Willow Wilson, pencilled by M.K. Perker (COMING LATER THIS YEAR)
- in explaining this comic, Wilson told the story of how she was on her way to Cairo when a feisty flight attendant stopped her, a bit suspicious of her choice of destination, and questioned her not-so-subtly until sufficiently satisfied that she wasn’t “a terrorist.” Wilson said the idea for the comic came to her then as she wondered “what if that flight attendant were a little bit cooler, and I were a little bit cooler…and this were a comic book?” This examination of the continued mystique surrounding air travel and its implications in a post-9/11 world seems really interesting, and funny!

	MADAME XANADU – written by Matt Wagner, penciled by Amy Hadley (COMING IN JUNE). revitalizing an old character with a cool backstory she’s never had before? Sign me up.
	SEAGUY - by Grant Morrison, art by Cameron Stewart (SOFTCOVER OUT NOW!). This title seems hilarious! Morrison mentioned that Seaguy is a “bull dresser.” Apparently, this takes place in a world where mad cow disease has made healthy cows sacred. So what do matadors do instead of kill bulls? They dress them. Torro! Torro! *whoosh* Now the bull is wearing a hat! I must own this book yesterday.
	GREATEST HITS – written by David Tischman, art by Glenn Fabry - a superhero group called The Mates is “The Beatles of superhero teams” in this 6-part miniseries that follows a director making a documentary about them. Each issue will have a cover featuring The Mates and inspired by a famous album cover. Superheroes treated like rock stars? Seems pretty cool to me!

After the panel, I made it a point to say hello to Karen Berger, shake her hand, and thank her for being largely responsible for my interest in comics (Sandman and Swamp Thing were the first comics I ever read, and her helming Vertigo made them possible). She was so friendly, cool, and together both during the panel and when talking to me that I was really impressed. Knowing her work at Vertigo, and seeing her “in action” at the con, she’s become my new hero.

I was also lucky enough to be able to talk to Grant Morrison and thank him for his work, too. Particularly All-Star Superman, which I’ve been enjoying muchly. When I mentioned that All-Star Superman increased my interest in “superhero comics” in a way that other DC books didn’t, he said “Well, it’s not really a ’superhero’ comic, though, is it? I mean, it is. But it isn’t.” He is such a sweet, charming, and classy guy. And I’m such a sucker for a Scottish accent…

5:00PM – I am woman, hear me roar/in numbers too big to ignore…

Next up was the “Women in Comics” panel, moderated by Abby Denson and featuring Karen Green (Columbia University), Gail Simone (writer, Wonder Woman), Heidi McDonald (writer, PW’s “The Beat” column), Shelly Bond (editor, MINX Comics), Jennifer Grünwald (editor of Special Projects, Marvel), and Becky Cloonan (artist, American Virgin and the Eisner Award-nominated Five).

What struck me most about this panel was that it already seemed obsolete. Sitting in a room full of women in attendance at a comic convention, having just come out of a panel moderated by a female editor of a major imprint, and now listening to a panel of women who are key players and decision makers in the comics field, the idea that a “women in comics” panel is even necessary is a bit silly. Several panelists expressed the same sentiment. They all have sat on countless “women in comics” panels, and they were all, to varying degrees, sick of it. They were all extremely optimistic about the fact that we’re getting to the point where one doesn’t have to be a “good female writer or artist” in the industry, but simply a creator, and as Gail Simone pointed out, diversity breeds more diversity. If we go out in search of diverse portrayals of women, or any group of people, comic publishers will make sure they are there for us.

An interesting moment came when Becky Cloonan and Jennifer Grünwald (both around my age) mentioned that, unlike the older women on the panel, “being a feminist” didn’t figure in to their work much, because it’s not something that they had to think about as much. They didn’t face the same pressures or biases that those before them did. It’s heartening that women who are my age can take certain freedoms for granted. However, as Heidi McDonald pointed out, that may just mean that the term “feminism” needs to be redefined.

When asked about the themes they hope to express in their work, Karen Green spoke about her role acquiring graphic novels and comics for the Colombia University library based on their academic worth, which she strongly believes they have. Gail discussed her desire to always focus on building strong characters, male and female, with original voices. Shelly Bond discussed her MINX imprint for teen girls and her desire to put out comics that have “real girls in the real world.” Not kick-ass girls with superpowers, nor cute girls going shopping, but the real girls of “Generation M” (media) who are as concerned with terrorism and the environment as they are with dating or their own coming of age. “Girls who play by their own rules, or make them up as they go along.”
Like the panelists, I look forward to the next couple of years when the comics industry will continue to grow and the need for “women in comics” panels will diminish.

6:00pm – Mr. Sandman….bring me a Dream...

Finally, there came the event I’d been looking forward to all day – a Neil Gaiman reading to benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. Like I said, Sandman was responsible for my interest in comics, so I was excited to hear Gaiman, whom I’d never heard read before.

First, though, there was a hilarious introduction by Bill Hader (SNL, Superbad), wherein he discussed how Neil Gaiman was single-handedly responsible for his every professional success. He also did impressions of Vincent Price as Coraline and Al Pacino as Dream in Seasons of Mists that made me chortle, a LOT.

And then, there was Neil Gaiman. He opened the evening with some wonderful news. He had just gotten word that, one hour before the reading, all charges against Gordon Lee, someone the CBLDF had spent 3 years and $100,000 defending over something ridiculous, had been dropped! Boisterousness ensued.

Then Gaiman read three short short stories:

- “The Day the Saucers Came” – a funny story about all the things that a woman missed while she was waiting for a guy to call….like an alien invasion, and zombies….

- a story from a young adult sci-fi collection called The Starry Rift entitled “Orange…” – he has a great knack for writing young characters…

- a story with a really long title that begins with “Being an Experiment…” – a writer decides to test and chronicle the effects of alcohol on creativity. HILARIOUS.

As I mentioned, I’d never heard Gaiman read before. Now that I have, I *heart* him more than I already did. Not only is he a talented writer, but he’s great with a crowd, and he reads his work almost like an actor doing a monologue. He’s a lot of fun to listen to. And….I’m just going to say it…

Neil Gaiman is hot.

I have a severe soft spot in my heart for talented writers to begin with. Throw in good looks, scruffy hair, a great accent, humor, and a charming way with people, and I’m down for the count. Yes, yes, he’s married with children. I know this. I don’t care.

That said, I would highly recommend a Neil Gaiman reading to anyone, even if they’re unfamiliar with his work.

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Now, just before the event, we were asked to write down questions for Neil and hand them in. After the three stories, he took a short break to sort through the questions, and when he returned, he answered some. There were the standard questions about his work and personal habits. Then, there was the HIGHLIGHT OF ALL HIGHLIGHTS. Question: The girl in Row 6 wearing the Delirium wig is cute. Can you get me her phone number?

The girl in question, who really did have a great Delirium wig, was shocked and giggled nervously. Neil Gaiman, amused, asked “Who wrote this, just out of curiosity?” The brave gentleman stood up. Then the girl stood up, walked over to him, and gave him her number!! The crowd cheered, and Gaiman continued answering questions.

Wait, so Neil Gaiman was responsible for Bill Hader landing SNL and Superbad, AND he’s making love connections at NYCC?! It’s official. Neil Gaiman is magical.

The Magical Neil Gaiman closed the evening by reading Chapter 3 of his upcoming The Graveyard Book, which he’d never read in public before. I’m looking forward to this one! Apparently inspired by The Jungle Book, it’s the story of an orphaned little boy named Nobody Owens who ends up being raised by his parents, and other dead people, in a graveyard.

This reading required me to make a tough decision. It overlapped a preview screening of footage from the upcoming new X-Files movie, “I Want To Believe“, at which Chris Carter was doing a Q&A. I ended up choosing to stay for the full Neil Gaiman event, a decision that I know will offend the sensibilities of certain X-philes I know. However, and this is difficult to admit….while I was a huge geek growing up, I never watched The X-Files. Last year, I started watching the series via Netflix, and fell in LOVE with it. I’m currently in the middle of season 4. I have yet to see the first X-Files movie….so seeing a bit from the new movie seemed pointless and slightly spoilery to me. I’ll just have to finish the series and the first movie by July, when “I Want To Believe” comes out. Don’t judge me!

WHEW! I need to get to bed so I can do all this over again tomorrow!

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TERESA JUSINO was born on the same day that Skylab fell. Coincidence? She doesn’t think so. As a writer, her work has appeared in Elmont Life newspaper, and on the sadly defunct website, CentralBooking.com. She is currently at work on a collection of short stories. As a geek, Teresa loves Star Trek, Lost, comics, and anything Joss Whedon ever touched. Also, she has a fangirl *squee-ing* crush on Brian K. Vaughan. Yes, she knows he’s married. Teresa recommends: 5 Minute Lost